Where Dark Things Rise tells the haunting story of Gabe, a teenager struggling with grief and religious trauma after a supernatural force kills his parents. Set in 1980s Appalachia, the novel follows Gabe as he tries to piece his life back together with his grandparents and navigate a town plagued by fanaticism, dark folklore, and real monsters. Along the way, he crosses paths with Mina, a girl trying to escape the weight of her own upbringing, and Reverend Ezra, a sinister preacher who seems tied to the evil hunting Gabe. The book weaves elements of Southern Gothic, horror, and coming-of-age drama into a dark, deeply emotional tale.

The writing is lush but never showy, filled with poetic moments that sneak up on you. Clark builds atmosphere so well it almost hums. Like creaky trailer park porches, whispers in the woods, gospel music swelling under the hum of something ancient and terrible. The dialogue feels natural, especially between the kids, and there’s this aching honesty in how trauma, poverty, and faith twist together in the rural South. But where the novel really hits its stride is in the quiet moments like Gabe holding a cassette tape like it’s sacred, or Mina sketching herself invisible in the mirror. Those scenes made me remember what it felt like to be young and stuck and full of strange hope.

Some of the villains, particularly Reverend Ezra, felt theatrical at times, like he belonged to myth more than flesh. I was more interested in the real horror: the abuse, the gaslighting, the warped religion passed down as salvation. Those were the moments that chilled me. The supernatural parts worked, but they shined brightest when grounded in human hurt. The Red Wolf was terrifying, but the scenes that really stuck with me involved trembling hands, loaded silences, and kids carrying too much.

Where Dark Things Rise is a bold, tender, and eerie ride. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes their horror layered with heartache or who grew up in a place where the Bible was both shield and weapon. If you liked Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon or The Fisherman by John Langan, you’ll feel at home here. This book broke my heart in places and then lit it on fire.

Pages: 357 | ASIN : B0F674VWWZ